Kenavon Drive, Reading

Challenge

The project in Kenavon Drive, Reading for Bellway Homes consisted of several different types of balconies. The customer wanted anchor solutions that would work for each application, particularly the complex corner balcony details. Corner balconies were also included in the plans which meant a non-standard bracket was required. During the install, some balconies had to be installed without a crane.

Solution

To ensure the framework contractors could cast the brackets in with ease, Sapphire used preassembled one-piece arms with templates and built-in shutters. The project called for 82 Cassette® and 71 Juliette balconies which were prefinished offsite to production line quality standards at Sapphire’s production facility in Winchester. A lean one-piece flow production method was utilised to ensure optimum efficiency and precision in the finished balconies.

The balconies were finished ahead of the agreed date, safely stored in our designated facility and delivered to Kenavon Drive when required on a combination of simple flatbed lorries and some lorries with hiabs.

As the corner balconies were installed in two sections, the install had a leading edge, so a special Syam harness system was used to ensure safety could be maintained. Several of the balconies, including the smaller last block, could not be installed by crane, so these were installed, some using a telehandler and some a hiab lorry.

Installation process

Step 1: Sapphire developed an innovative corner arm and two-piece corner balconies, to overcome the potential deflection issues and the complex interface at the corners.

Step 2: All balconies were manufactured at Sapphire’s offsite production facility in Winchester. Using a lean management one-piece flow production method.

Step 3: The balconies were transported from Winchester to Reading when required on-site, using a mixture of flatbed lorries, some with hiabs.

Step 4: Using the Glide-On™ system, the balconies were installed quickly and efficiently. The site workers installing the corner balconies using a Syam harness system which provides a temporary harness location, which can enable required works while preventing falls from the leading edge.

One of the particular challenges this scheme had was fulfilling a particularly stringent NHBC drainage strategy. Below is a video showing how various types of these balconies drained in post-occupation.